In his concurrence in Doe v. Reed, Justice Scalia powerfully opined on the question of hiding initiative or referenda signatures from public view: There are laws against threats and intimidation; and harsh criticism, short of unlawful action, is a price our people have traditionally been willing to pay for self

We're all eagerly awaiting the US Supreme Court’s decision this month in Doe v. Reed, the case challenging the constitutionality of Washington’s public records law as applied to petitions for referenda and initiatives. But this week, a different panel of Supreme Court experts recognized the Washington Solicitor General's Office for its work in this case with the prestigious “Best Brief” award from the National Association of Attorneys General.

If you're overwhelmed by the the idea of poring through all those briefs on the Secretary of State's site as previously suggested, we've developed a Cliff's Notes backgrounder to help you.
Or simply check out some of the recent news stories and editorials on the case...

On Tuesday the 9th Circuit ruled to restore voting rights to felons on a finding of racial discrimination in Washington’s criminal justice system. The decision garnered editorial attention all across the state, and even an entry in The Wall Street Journal’s Law Blog.

Yesterday, Attorney General Rob McKenna told reporters he will appeal a Ninth Circuit Court ruling that would give felons the right to vote. Secretary of State joined the conference by phone to offer his support.